Chapter 596

"Did you hear? There was an attempted murder here last night!"

The excited whisper rippled through the gathered crowd like an electric current.

Miranda Price elbowed her way forward. "Murder? Tell me everything!"

"All I know is someone deliberately locked the doors. Security didn't notice until it was too late. The police are treating it as premeditated." Cassandra Brown felt her stomach drop.

She had only locked one door last night. How had this escalated into an attempted murder charge?

A cold sweat broke out across her forehead. Her breathing became shallow, especially when she saw two uniformed officers making a beeline for her.

"Ms. Brown? We need you to come with us."

"What are you talking about?" Cassandra's voice cracked with panic. "I didn't try to kill anyone! This is ridiculous!"

Her outburst turned every head in the vicinity.

The officers remained impassive. Years of experience had taught them that truth wasn't measured in decibels.

"The investigation will determine that. Please cooperate."

Cassandra's frantic denials only fueled the growing whispers around her.

"I never would've guessed. Cassandra always seemed so put together."

"Who was the target? Do we know the victim?"

"Must be serious if they're arresting her before the performance."

The gossip burned Cassandra's cheeks hotter than any spotlight.

Then Evelyn Carter appeared.

Cassandra's mouth fell open. "You...you're..."

Evelyn offered a thin smile. "You should cooperate with the police. Though I suppose our little wager is settled now."

Cassandra gnawed her lip.

She remembered all too well.

To maximize Evelyn's humiliation, Cassandra had made sure the entire orchestra knew about their bet.

Now everyone would witness her public apology.

"This isn't over!" Cassandra spat, clinging to her pride. "We haven't even performed yet!"

Evelyn checked her watch. "The concert starts in fifty minutes. Do you really think they'll release you that quickly?"

Cassandra's face darkened with realization. "You called them, didn't you? This was your plan all along! If you were truly confident in your skills, you wouldn't need to sabotage me!"

"Funny," Evelyn's voice turned glacial. "I seem to recall who sabotaged whom first."

She stepped closer, resting a deceptively light hand on Cassandra's shoulder.

"You claim you're not afraid of losing to me, yet you locked me in the concert hall."

Evelyn had dealt with Vanessa Hart's manipulations for years; Cassandra's amateur theatrics barely registered.

Cassandra spluttered. "Afraid? Of you? Don't flatter yourself! I'm the principal cellist!"

"If not fear," Evelyn's voice dropped to an arctic whisper, "then your only motive was attempted murder."